FRANCE,
BELGIUM
& HOLLAND

“La Belle France” aptly describes this colorful and beautiful part of western Europe. Experience living the French’s enviable joie de vivre while embarking on a fabulous adventure in gastronomy and art surrounded by the country’s luscious scenery.

France boasts many possible performance venues:

Notre Dame Cathedral – built in the 14th century, this Cathedral is a marvel of architectural innovation with its flying buttresses supporting its outer walls.

The Madeleine Church – replica of the Parthenon in Athens.

St. Sulpice – the shell at Luxumbourg Gardens

Outdoor stage at the Champs de Mar near the Eiffel Tower

Normandy

American Cemetery, Normandy

The Conservatory at Caen

Abbey of Mont St. Michel

Many strikingly beautiful Gothic Churches in the towns across the region.

The Loire Valley

Schools, universities, and churches in towns of Orleans, Blois, Ambroise and Tours.

Must see attractions in Paris include:

Eiffel Tower, built for the World’s Fair in 1889. Not unlike many things French, the Parisians hated the tower at first, then grew to love it, and refused to allow it to be torn down after the World’s Fair.

The Louvre Museum, housed in a former Royal Palace in the heart of Paris. The Louvre houses the most prestigious collection of great art in the world, including da Vinici’s Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory, and the Venus de Milo. Now adorned with the contemporary glass pyramid of the Chinese architect I.M. Pei, it would take a visitor over a year to see all exhibits, even at a quick pace of walking.

Arc de Triomphe (or Arch of Triumph) – Built by Napoleon to celebrate his victories and to glorify the French nation.

The Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart) Church, built on Monmartre, the highest point in Paris, this church oversees the city from a great vantage point. The square of Monmartre was where many famous artists drew and painted during the Impressionist times.

The beautiful Normandy Coast of northern France is the scene of the great D-Day Invasion in 1944 during the final stages of World War II. You can see the beautifully manicured American Cemetery that overlooks Omaha Beach and holds the remains of thousands of American Soldiers.

Mont Saint-Michel – An island off the coast of northern France, Mont Saint-Michel was a strategic fortification. A spectacular view of the sea and land of northern France can been seen from the Abby.

South of Paris, the Loire Valley is noted for its vineyards, architecture, and food.